Health Information Technician

Education Requirements:
Associate Degree from two-year college or technical training. Click here for more information
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)Salary Range:
$30K - $52K Annually
Educational Institutions:
Employment Outlook:
Very good
Job Overview:
Known as Registered Health Information Technicians, this new wave of professionals spend their time collecting, cataloging, and dispensing data throughout a range of diverse environments. Working in health information technology is a great way to enter the workforce in the growing health care industry. These professionals work in the area of medical records and manage and organize medical data, ensuring the accuracy and security of them. Health Information professionals can also track patterns of disease, treatment outcomes as well as maintaining and updating software and developing networks. Health Information professionals can also specialize in types of information such as in medical coding or in maintaining cancer registrars.
Health Information Technicians are responsible for the quality, integrity and protection of patients’ health information which incudes, medical history, laboratory results, clinical information, x-rays and other radiology procedures and much more. This role is vital to the overall patient care and health management services. Having skilled Health Information Specialists on staff insures an organization has the right information on hand when and where it is needed while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity, confidentiality and security.
Because health records are increasingly kept electronically (referred to as electronic health records, or EHR), this job will continue to grow and be in high demand. To work as a health information technician, you will need to have sharp software and computer skills. You will also need excellent communication skills, as you will be in regular contact with other health care workers, e.g. nurses and doctors, making clarifications and obtaining information. This job is perfect for those interested in working in health care on the technology or information side.
Additional duties and responsibilities of this job is the requirement to adapt to new methods of capturing healthcare information and storing that information to ensure ease in electronical access.
Health records professionals are usually people who appreciate accuracy and pay great attention to detail. They also tend to be well-organized and enjoy research and statistics.
Job Tasks:
- Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.
- Review records for completeness, accuracy and compliance with regulations.
- Retrieve patient medical records for physicians, technicians or other medical personnel.
- Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
- Process patient admission or discharge documents.
- Transcribe medical reports.
- Resolve or clarify codes or diagnoses with conflicting, missing or unclear information by consulting with doctors or others or by participating in the coding team’s regular meetings.
- Enter data, such as demographic characteristics, history and extent of disease, diagnostic procedures or treatment into computer.
- Identify, compile, abstract and code patient data, using standard classification systems.
- Release information to persons or agencies according to regulations.
Skills and Abilities Needed to Perform Job:
- Knowledge of a variety of software used in the healthcare industry, that includes: analytical or scientific; calendar and scheduling; categorization or classification, data base report; data base user interface and query; and document management.
- Knowledge of medical software – Epic, HCPCS and MEDITECH.
- Knowledge of OCR or scanning software and voice recognition software.
- Knowledge of medical charting systems components or accessories.
- Knowledge administrative and clerical procedures and systems; computers and electronics; laws and government codes, court procedures, precedents, regulations, orders, etc.; and the democratic political process.
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases and deformities.
- Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Active Listening – Giving full attention to what others are saying and able to understand the points being made.
- Critical Thinking – using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions.
- Writing and Speaking– Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgement and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Desired Work Style Attributes:
- Attention to details
- Cooperation – Pleasant with others
- Dependability – Reliable and responsible
- Integrity – Honest and ethical
- Independence – Guiding oneself with little or no supervision
- Initiative – Willingness to assume responsibilities and challenges
- Adaptability/Flexibility – Open to change
- Self-Control – Maintaining composure in very difficult situations
- Analytical Thinking – Use logic to address work-related issues and problems